Uterus

Your Baby's First Home

The uterus is a pear-shaped female internal organ, weighing a little less than a kilogram and no bigger in diameter than several centimeters. It is connected by the top portion to the fallopian tubes, and at its broad base, to the cervix and thence to the vaginal opening.

The function of the uterus is to hold the fertilized egg, which descends from the fallopian tube. The egg implants itself in the endometrial lining, by which it is nourished. The fertilised egg remains in the uterus, expanding it into the abdominal and stomach area during pregnancy, until labor and childbirth.

The First Functions of the Uterus

In reproductive terms, your uterus becomes important from the moment of ovulation. An egg is released from a single follicle within the ovary, and travels into the fallopian tube where it awaits fertilisation. Many women, in their attempts to get pregnant, have found the use of an ovulation test helpful at this point in time.

An ovulation test is very similar to a pregnancy test, in that it measures hormones present in your urine. However, a pregnancy test is senstivie to human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), which is produced by a fertilised egg, whereas an ovulation test detects luteinizing hormone (LH), the hormone that surges immediately before ovulation and triggers the egg's release from the follicle.

The ovulation test is a popular way to determine fertility because it can be used at home, privately, with only your partner to share the results. While your doctor can perform a different type of ovulation test in the clinic office, being able to take an ovulation test at home makes the process much more personal.

There are two different kinds of ovulation test: the seven-day daily ovulation test, and the twenty-day daily ovulation test. The seven-day ovulation test is most useful to women who are already tracking their fertility and have regular menstrual periods, while the twenty-day ovulation test might be of more use to women with irregular schedules who aren't trying alternate methods of fertility awareness.

Getting Results

A positive result on an ovulation test indicates a 'fertility window' of approximately forty-eight hours. If you're attempting to conceive, you should let your partner know as soon as you see those results! Getting the sperm and egg together as soon as possible will drastically increase your chances of having that happy future family you desire.

Once the egg is fertilised, it moves down into the uterine canal and settles into the endometrium. It's truly amazing how such a small part of the female body can do so much for reproduction. In nine months' time, your uterus may hold a fully-grown infant ready to meet the world, all thanks to a simple test, some careful planning, and the remarkable flexibility of the female uterus.